Custom Sample Box for PU Faux Wood Beam Project Inspection

What a Sample Box Contains

A sample box is not a random selection from our catalog. It is assembled to your project brief. When you submit a sample request, you specify the profiles, finishes, and textures you are considering. We cut and finish representative pieces of each and ship them together in a single package.

A typical sample box for a mid-size commercial project might include 2-3 cross-section profiles at 300 mm lengths finished in the proposed stain, 1-2 texture reference pieces showing grain depth and surface character, an end cap or joint sample showing how segments connect, a color-matched sample for the specific tone selected, and a piece showing the beam in cross-section demonstrating wall thickness and hollow vs. solid construction.

When a Sample Box Is Required

A sample box is not always necessary. For stocked profiles in standard finishes, our published swatch book and profile catalog are sufficient to place an order. However, there are situations where physical samples are essential.

Non-standard finishes require a physical sample because screen displays are unreliable for wood tones. Texture comparison requires physical pieces because photographs cannot capture how textures read and feel. Client-facing presentations require physical samples as part of the hospitality brand and developer approval process. Specification documents require approved samples to be retained on site as a reference standard. And lighting conditions require samples to be viewed under the project's actual lighting rather than in a showroom.

Using Samples in the Approval Process

Once the sample box arrives, the approval process typically moves through three stages.

Stage 1: Internal Review

Review each piece under the lighting conditions the project will actually have. Check the texture depth by running your hand across the surface. Compare the stain color to the adjacent materials. If anything is off, note it and send us feedback within 3-5 days.

Stage 2: Client Presentation

Present the samples in the actual room or a mock-up of it, if the project has a show unit. Let the client touch the pieces. Wood-tone perception is partly tactile; the weight and surface feel of a sample communicates quality in a way a photograph cannot.

Stage 3: Sample Retention

Once approved, retain one sample piece per profile/finish as a site reference standard. Label it clearly with the project name, date, and approval signature. If a dispute arises during installation, the retained sample is the arbiter.

What Samples Cannot Fully Demonstrate

Physical samples are excellent for texture, color, surface character, and weight. They are less effective at demonstrating long-run behavior (a 300 mm sample cannot show how a 5-meter beam behaves thermally) and curved beam geometry (a curved beam sample in a straight box is useful for texture and finish but not for assessing the radius). These limitations are not flaws in the sample process; they are why both samples and shop drawings are needed together.

Sample Box Pricing and Freebies

We offer complimentary sample pieces for a limited number of profile/finish combinations per project. The complimentary allowance is typically 3-5 pieces. Additional pieces, non-standard profiles, and samples requiring new mold setups are priced individually. For importers building a product catalog, we offer a standing sample kit that includes one of every standard profile in every standard finish.

After the sample box, once samples are approved and the order is placed, the approved sample pieces are logged in our production system as the quality reference. The factory finishing team uses the approved sample to set the color and texture standards for the mass production run.